Assistive Technology Foundations, Legislation, and Professional Practice
Core Frameworks
Assistive technology (AT) spans low-tech tools (pencil grips, slant boards) through high-tech systems (speech-generating devices, eye-gaze access). Candidates should be fluent in the HAAT model (Human, Activity, Assistive Technology, Context) and the distinction between an AT device and an AT service (evaluation, acquisition, training, maintenance). Know the SETT framework (Student, Environment, Tasks, Tools) as a team-based decision process.
Legislation You Must Know
- IDEA: guarantees a free appropriate public education; AT must be considered for every student with an IEP. "Consideration" is a documented decision, not a mandate to provide.
- Section 504 / ADA: prohibit discrimination; ADA Title II/III address public and commercial settings.
- Assistive Technology Act: funds statewide AT programs and device loan/reuse.
Traps
Questions love the word "must." IDEA requires consideration of AT, not automatic provision. Another trap: conflating AT with accessible instructional materials (AIM) or with UDL, which is a proactive design framework, not a legal entitlement tied to one student. Remember AT is defined by function for a specific individual, not by product category.
Rule of Thumb
If a tool compensates for a disability-related barrier and is selected for one person, it's likely AT. If it benefits everyone by design, it's UDL. If it's a format conversion (braille, audio), it's AIM-though the technology used to access it may still be AT.